MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[WAlum]

Otterbein must have put forth a great effort to almost pull the upset.    Marietta keeps finding ways to stay on the top.

JCU was a game behind Marietta but hurt themselves yesterday.  No title this year.

Wilmington gets a win over B-W to move to 4-8 on the season.  I remember when B-W competed near the top of the OAC.

Heidelberg over Muskingum.  The Muskies are now 2-10 in the OAC.  See above the days of competing in the OAC.

Mount is coming back to reality. Cap is hanging in there trying to sneak a share of the title.

[ohiofan1954]

I was at the otterbein game  last night and it is the second best I have seen this year(wilmington-cap being the best). Great finish reminds of the best game I have ever seen the game between wooster and capital in the tournament two years ago. That freshman from marietta is fun too watch and it is great to see that otterbein finally can play in the middle, something they have been lacking for a few years. Just too bad davis has to play the entire game. One question I have I hope someone can answer is this. Does anyone know why Brice Rausch hasn't been playing for otterbein for the last few games? Could have made a difference last night if nothing else it would have given the cards a longer bench.

[ste24vie]

Rausch left the BW game with an ankle injury and hasnt played since.

As far as resting Davis, its an absolute must to be more effective down the stretch when they need him most.

[ohiofan1954]

thanks for the info on Rausch. I hadn't been too see any otterbein games since the bw game so I had no clue. Worse was none of the folks around me last night knew the answer either. Hopefully he will be back soon.

david

[kiltedbryan]

Kilt, check your math ..........Otterbein subs played 54 minutes, and Marietta 57. As brutal as the paint is, Davis cannot be effective for 39 minutes, he must get a few minutes rest. But T/Os killed the Cardinals, 22 to Mariettas 11. Points off turnovers, 'Etta 17, Otterbein 6.

Good catch- sorry! It was 54 to 57 on the off-the-bench minutes.

[ohiofan1954]

I agree with the turnovers killing otterbein's chances last night. That stretch early when they went 7 straight possession's  without a shot was a killer for sure. Good thing marietta was having trouble hitting shots early or it wouldn't have been as close.

[albertjackson]

WALUM,
Dont expect BW or Muskie to be competing in the top half of OAC any time soon. Coach Ford was a much better HS coach at Cambridge where he many times had better talent. Lack of recruiting to New Concord isnt helping...tough job. They have one of the more veteran teams in conference and yet are in last place. Big show down coming up with BW for 9th & 10th place. BW is young with talent, especially Kenny Payne. Problem is Sheldon cant win close games or out coach any OAC coaches. He needs the best talent to win and even then is not a sure thing, not that anything ever is in the OAC. I just know his Heidelberg teams never won till his last year and even then they finished 2nd, yet had the most talented team. They did win OAC tourny, but were a 1 and done in NCAA. After 9 years on the college scene Sheldon has had 2 winning seasons. 1 at Berg and 1 at BW (14-11). Forecast in Berea - not so sunny future!!

FYI - Coach Chris Kibler who was Steve Bankson's top assistant for several years at BW is now at Hiram College. I know Coach Kibler is a very good recruiter (bc he tried to recruit me)and coach. Also, Hiram beat BW this year at BW, and last year at Hiram. Not sure how long he has been at Hiram, but from what I understand, BW did not give him a shot at the job. Kinda sad situation from what I hear. I'm sure things would be different in Berea. PS Hiram is 3-1 vs OAC, tho lost came to Muskie.

Also - hate to brag but I did predict the Mt. Union collapse, wilmigton rise coming on, tho my JCU pick is not looking so hot.

[WAlum]

WALUM,
Dont expect BW or Muskie to be competing in the top half of OAC any time soon. Coach Ford was a much better HS coach at Cambridge where he many times had better talent. Lack of recruiting to New Concord isnt helping...tough job. They have one of the more veteran teams in conference and yet are in last place. Big show down coming up with BW for 9th & 10th place. BW is young with talent, especially Kenny Payne. Problem is Sheldon cant win close games or out coach any OAC coaches. He needs the best talent to win and even then is not a sure thing, not that anything ever is in the OAC. I just know his Heidelberg teams never won till his last year and even then they finished 2nd, yet had the most talented team. They did win OAC tourny, but were a 1 and done in NCAA. After 9 years on the college scene Sheldon has had 2 winning seasons. 1 at Berg and 1 at BW (14-11). Forecast in Berea - not so sunny future!!

FYI - Coach Chris Kibler who was Steve Bankson's top assistant for several years at BW is now at Hiram College. I know Coach Kibler is a very good recruiter (bc he tried to recruit me)and coach. Also, Hiram beat BW this year at BW, and last year at Hiram. Not sure how long he has been at Hiram, but from what I understand, BW did not give him a shot at the job. Kinda sad situation from what I hear. I'm sure things would be different in Berea. PS Hiram is 3-1 vs OAC, tho lost came to Muskie.

Also - hate to brag but I did predict the Mt. Union collapse, wilmigton rise coming on, tho my JCU pick is not looking so hot.

So are you telling me both coaches are going to live off their reputations as players and the programs are going to struggle?   Why do administrations hire coaches like this when there are other coaches who would make the programs competitive?

[D-III Insider]

If Muskingum is such a difficult job, then how did Jim Burson manage to compete so well for all those years in New Concord? 

[WAlum]

If Muskingum is such a difficult job, then how did Jim Burson manage to compete so well for all those years in New Concord? 

Great point on Burson but I dont believe there is any pressure on the Muskingum administration to make a change.

[D-III Insider]

With so many opinions on here about coacvhes in the OAC... I am curious to find out how
would all the OAc followers rate the OAC coaches from top to bottom?

[D-III Insider]

My current OAC coaches rankings are as follows:

1.  Moran - JCU  - When he inherited this program it was a joke.  He has made it a OAC force year in year out.
2.  Reynolds - Otterbein - Still a great caoch regardless of what Stevie thinks.  National Title.  Numerous OAC titles.  Test of time.
3.  Goodwin - Capital - His teams are always tough and well prepared.  Not many better compliments for a coach.
4.  Vanderwahl - Marietta - simply a remarkable turnaround in southern Ohio.  He has program at a place it has not been since the days
                                           of Phil Roach in the 1970's.  Can they finish what they ahve started?
5.  Gholson - Heidelberg - a solid OAC player at ONU in the late 80's and has done a credible job in his short tenure in Tiffin.
6.  Hunt - Wilmington - Had a nice run from obscurity not too long ago.  Now can he back it up?
7.  Sheldon - BW - Not much at his alma mater yet.  Bankson had them contending often later in his tenure.  Did win an OAC tourney title
                             in Tiffin not thta long ago.
8.  Hood - Mt. Union - Hard to imagine as long as he has been there they have only had one good run in the 90's with Shipp/Richards.
                                  Obviouslu the AD (Kehres) only cares about football or he may have been gone years ago.
9.  Rhodes - ONU - Hard to imagine ONU toward the bottom of the OAC standings.  Not since early 90's have they struggled like this.
10.  Ford - Muskingum - Their struggles show how important recruiting is at the collegiate level.   

Any responses?

[albertjackson]

DIII Insider,
Coach Burson was old-school, his teams were always competitive but rarely competed for OAC championship. He did become a leading teacher of the princeton offense late in his career. I think he may have led the team to a OAC final 4 1x utilizing that offense. Biggest difference b/w him and the Ford's... his career was defined there and he putting a lot more into than the Geno or Gene.

Ranking the OAC coaches -
#1 Dick Reynold's - winningest OAC coach all-time I believe. a National Title.
#2 Mike Moran - kids play hard and have won a lot of OAC championships under him, though I'd say the catholic school affiliation and location are tremendous advantages.
#3 Damon Goodwin - I agree - kids always play hard and are well prepared.
#4 Vanderwahl - getting it done or right place, right time?
#5 Hunt - has made Quakers significant in OAC
#6 Gholson - solid job thus far
#7 Rhodes by default - early returns not pretty
#8 Sheldon - not real impressed with
#9 Hood - 1 championship season in 20 yrs. at Mt. Union - really?? Football school or not - come on man!
#10 Ford - knows the game but isnt fully invested in getting the job done, in his prime #4


Not sure why I descriminate vs Coach Ford and not Coach Reynolds other than their body of work in OAC.

[WAlum]

#1 Moran - program changer. has the team near the top again.
#2 Goodwin - solid teams every year.  his teams compete!
#3 Vanderwahl - program changer.  can he keep his team near the top on a yearly basis?
#4 Hunt - Wilmington competed for OAC titles. wilmington? yes, wilmington.  credit to the coach.
#5 Reynolds - career numbers are unmatched but the otters have fallen off the last 5-6 years.  my ranking is based on "what have you done for me lately" (last 5 years) rather than a whole career.
#6 Gholson - solid.  still has a lot to prove.
#7 Rhodes.  as mentioned above, here by default over the bottom 3
#8 Sheldon - good coaching situations but little to show for it at the berg and now at BW.
#9 Hood - does a good job of keeping football #1 at the Mount.
#10 Ford - great HS coach.  like others have said from the outside looking in, lacking the energy to change the program and be successful. unfair to the college and the student-athletes

[BogeyMan]

1.  Vanderwahl - changed Marietta basketball, Marietta will be a force as long as he is there
2.  Moran
3.  Goodwin
4.  Gholson - he may move up in the next couple of years

Reynolds is not at the top now, but was over his career
Hunt - for some reason still not sure about him

Rhodes, Hood, Ford and Sheldon won't ever move up